Folding ironing table



March l, 1932. J. DoRAu 1,847,387

FOLDING IRONING TABLE Filed Maren 31, 19:50

y NVENTOR. ,BY y, WWW/7M ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 1, 1932 PATENT OFFICE `.'JV'OHN DORAU, OFPORTAGE, WISCONSIN i FOLDING I'RoNING TABLE Application led March 31, 1930. Serial No. 440,372.

lThis invention yrelates to improvements in folding ironing tables. s Y

It is one of the objects of the present invention to `provide an ironing table which, when in use', will be supported very rigidly and firmly, but which may be easily and quickly collapsed to a compactposition so as to occupy a minimum amount of storage space When not in use.` l0 A further object of the invention is to provide a folding ironing table supported by a pair of connected legs and a third leg, all eX- tending outwardly from intermediate portions of the table, and thethird legand pair of legs diverging With respect toeach other, the pair of legs being provided With folding means for locking the same ina spread position When unfolded.

, A further obj ect of thek invention' is to provide Ya folding, three-legged ironing table in which the legs and brace members therefor are all operativelyconnected so that a move-V ment of one of said members will tend to move the others of said members also.

A further object ofthe invention yis to provide a folding ironing table in which the legs and brace members therefor may be releasably, securely locked in open,unfolded position.

A further object of the invention is to provide afolding ironing table whi'chis of very simple construction, is easily manipula-ted` is strong and durable, and is Well adapted for the purposes described With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved folding ironing table, and its parts and combina tions as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying'drawings in which the same reference; characters indicate kthe same parts in all of the views:

inopen or unfolded position;

Y Fig. 3 is an inverted plan View of the ironing table in folded or closed position;

Fig. 4 is a side vView of a. modified form of ironing table in open position with part'bro'- v ken aWay and in section; and

Fig. 5 is a side view of another modified form of ironing table in open position with part broken away and in section. Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1,2 and 3 thereof, it will appear that the numeral 8 indicates the board or tableportion ofthe folding ironing table, and the same may be of any suitable shape, but is preferably of rectangular form with a tapered end portion 8.

An elongated U-bracket 9 is secured transversely to anv under, intermediate portion of the'board, and there is also secured to the under surfaceY of the board, transversely thereof, and somewhat closer to one end,a short U-bracl et `10. I

For the purpose of assisting in the support ofthe board 8 a leg member 11 is provided, composed of a pair o-f members 11 secured to# gether at their lower or outer ends and diverging upwardly, the upper end portions of said members 1l being pivotally attached to 0pposite end portions of the bracket 10, as at l2 The board is also supportedV by a pair of somewhat longer legs 13 Which are pivotally secured at their upper =end port-ions to the bracket 9. The upper end portions 'of said legs 13 are, beveled, as at 13', so that when said legs are unfolded with respect to the board said beveled ends will bear flatly againstthe under surface of the board, providing a steady support and limiting the opening or unfolding movement of said legs.' TheY upper portions of said pair of legs 13 are connected by apair of diagonally extended,

.Y crossed'chains 14. Fig. 1 is a side view of the ironing table An inner lower face portion of each of the legs 13 pivotally carries a bracket 15, tothe flanges of which are pivotally connectedthe inner end portions of links 16 and 1T respectively. T he overlapping end portions of the links 16 and 1l' are pivotally connected together, as at 18, and the link 17 is formed with a side recess 19 to receive a projecting end lug 20 on the link 16 to limit the unfolding movement of said links with respect to each other.

Y A pivot rod 21 extends transversely between upper portions ofthe leg members 11 and one end portion of a. board brace is pivotally mounted on said rod 21 between the members 11. The other .end portion ef said brace is somewhat flattened and tapered, as at 23, and is adapted to releasably engage in a shouldered recess 2li formed i'n the under surface of the board 8, to releasably lock the legs in open position. Y

rlhe medial closed end portion of an elongated V -shaped Wire or fiexible brace member is pivot-ally extended through an en .larged end portion 26 of the locking brace 22,

while the free end portions of said brace member 25 are hooked through openings in intermediate portions *ofV the links 18 1l as at 27. f

. lVhen the table is folded, the parts are arranged asshown in Fig. 8 with all of the legs and pivotal braces extended in the same direction and against the under surface of the board.A To open or unfold the table, the leg 11 is moved away from the board, and inasmuchas said leg is connected tor an end of the locking brace 22, and the brace 22 is connected with the legs v13 through the d'- brace 25 and the links 16. and 17, when the leg` 11 is unfolded, the legs 13 will also be Vmoved away fronrtlie board toward open position. During this movement the free end portion 23 of the brace 22 will be drawn along the under surface of the board toward the recess 24A and may be snapped thereinto. The legs 13 are spread and arefreieasably securedl in their spread or diverged open position by forcing the links 1G and 17 to extended position with respect to each other with the lug 2O lodged within the recess 19. fn open position, all of the legsf11 andl are diverged with respect to one another and they are all e rigidly connected together and are releasably positions,

locked in then-unfolded spread whereby` a very firm and stable support for the board-member isv provided. The brace members and links hold the legs, when in unfolded positions, taut and under some degree of tension.A i

lIn Fig. 4 a modification of theinvention is` illustrated, and in this form the locking brace'22a,'at its innerend portionis pivotally "l attached to a bracket 28 carried by the under sur-faceof the board 8 toward the tapered end 8. The inner end portion of the locking brace 22ais beveled as at 29to bear flatly against the under surface of tlieboard, when saidbrace 22a is moved, away from the board,

and to limit the pivotal movement of said member 22a. The free end portion of the brace 22a is formed along its top edge with a recess to receive therein the transverse rod 21 when the parts are in open position. rfhis form of table is also provided with a tl-shaped flexible brace member 25 having its closed end portion looped or bent about the rod21, while the free end portions of said member 25 are bent through openings therefor in the links 15 and 16, as in the principal form, and indicated at 27. hen this form of table is folded, all of the legs lie flatly against the under surface of the board and extend toward the tapered end 8. The

vbrace 22a, disengaged from the rod 21, also lies flatly, extending through the leg members 11 and below the rod 21. To unfold the table, when the leg 11 is swung outwardly, because of the connection by the member 25, the legs-13 are also unfolded, and then the free end portion of the vbrace 22a ismoved outwardly of the board and the rod 21v is ultimately permitted to snap into `the recess 30, and all of `the parts are releasably secured in open position. v

In the second modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, the board brace 22a is eliminated and in lieu thereof an end brace 222) is employed. Said brace 22o is pivotally connected at one end to a bracket 28 depending from an end portion of the board 8 opposite the reduced end portion 8. The free end portion of said brace 22?) is adapted, when the tableA parts are in open position, to extend between the leg members 11', and-the lower edge ofthe free end portion of said member 22?) is formed with a recess 30 to receive the rody2l, whereby the table is releasably locked in open position.

Y From the foregoing description, it, will be seen that the improved folding ironing table is of simple and novel construction, and is well adapted for the purposes described. Y i

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An ironing'table, comprising a board member, a pair of legs pivotally connected tothe bottom portion thereof, a third leg also pivotally connected to the bottom portion of the board, a brace member extended between a bottomportion of the board and said third leg, said braceY member being ,pivotally connected at one end to one of the elements between which it is extended and having its other end freein 'inoperative position` but releasably engageable in operative position with the other of said elements, a pair of Vlinks connecting the outer end portions of said pair of legs and freely pivotally connected together, and a flexible brace member extended between the pair of legs and the third leg.

'also pivotally connected to the bottom portion of the board, a brace member extended between a bottom portion of the board and said third leg, said brace member being pivotally connected at one end to one of the elements between which it is extended and having its free end releasably engageable with the other of said elements, a pair of foldably connected links hingedly connected at opposite ends to lower end portions of said pair of legs, and a iexible, V-shaped brace member connected at its closed end With said third leg and having its other end portions connected to intermediate portions of said links.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN P. DORAU. 

